Internet Poker Or Live Poker Games? We Want Both!

The first state to legalize forms of online gambling (not counting the lottery etc.) was Nevada, in 2010, followed by the passage of online poker regulations in 2011. What was exciting about the 2013 bill passed last week was that the state passed legislation making it possible for the governor to enter into agreements or compacts with other states, assuming those states have also legalized poker.

The second state to legalize online poker, was in fact, Delaware, in 2012. It doesn’t get a whole lot of attention because of its small population.

The third state, as we recently reported, was New Jersey, which passed its online poker and casino games legislation on February 26, 2013. One of the things that makes New Jersey’s bill exciting is its large population and its close proximity to New York and Philadelphia. The other thing is the confidence of the state; they are already counting possible revenue derived from online gambling in their 2013 budget.

To be clear, we are in full support of legal online poker. It will provide an enormous revenue stream to the states that provide players the opportunity to gamble online . . . and it’s a lot of fun around midnight when you’re looking for some action. But in our minds there is still nothing like the excitement and camaraderie of live poker games. Hopefully, we can all have both.